Difference between pages "Manticore Class" and "Alita Class"

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{{icons|bfc}}{{Specifications
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{{icons|bfc|fed|sf}}{{Specification
| image = [[Image:Manticore.jpg|275px]]
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| image = [[Image:Alita.png]]
| name = Manticore
+
| displayName = '''''Alita''-class heavy cruiser'''
| affiliation = Starfleet
+
| name = Akira
| role = Heavy Escort
+
| affiliation = [[United Federation of Planets]]
| dateEntered = 2391
+
| operator = [[Starfleet]]
| expectedLife = 100 Years
+
| status =
 +
| role =
 +
*Carrier
 +
| type = Heavy Cruiser
 +
| precedingClass = Akira
 +
| succeedingClass =
 +
| dateEntered = 2395
 +
| productionEnd =
 +
| retired =
 +
| expectedDuration = 80 Years
 
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
 
| expectedRefit = 10 Years
| timeResupply = 3 Years
+
| timeResupply = 1 Year
| crewComplement = 250
+
| crewComplement = 650
| emergencyCap = 1,000
+
| emergencyCap = 5,000
| length = 361 meters
+
| civilians =
| width = 151.3 meters
+
| populationCap =
| height = 73 meters
+
| flightCrew =
| decks = 18
+
| passengers =
 +
| length = 464 meters
 +
| width = 317  meters
 +
| diameter =
 +
| height = 87 meters
 +
| decks = 17
 
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
 
| propulsionSystem = Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 7.5
+
| cruiseSpeed = Warp 7
| maxSpeed = Warp 9.8
+
| maxSpeed = Warp 9.5
| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.985 (12 hours)
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| emergencySpeed = Warp 9.98
| energyWeapons =*10x Type-XII phaser arrays
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| energyWeapons = *11x Type-XII Phaser Arrays
| torpLaunchers =*2 forward (pod)
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*4x Type-XII Pulse Phaser Cannons
*1 forward
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*2x Type-XIV Pulse Phaser Cannons
* 2 aft
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| torpLaunchers = *6 Forward
| torpPayload =*100 Photon Torpedoes
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*6 Aft
*100 Quantum Torpedoes
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| torpPayload = *300 Photon Torpedoes
| shields =Multi-Layered Shielding System  
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*300 Quantum Torpedoes
| shuttleBays =1
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| shields = Multi-Layered Shielding System  
| shuttles =4
+
| dockingfacilities =
| runabouts =1
+
| shuttleBays = 3
}}
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| shuttles = 24
 +
| runabouts = 6
 +
| fighters = 12
 +
| aux =
 +
| msd =
 +
}}The '''''Alita''-class heavy cruiser''' is the 25th-century successor to the ''Akira''-class heavy cruiser, combining aspects of a carrier with enhanced tactical systems for a design that forms an important part of Starfleet's defensive mission. The ''Alita''<nowiki/>'s carrier capabilities are even more impressive than her predecessor, and in peacetime her hangers are ability to deliver squadrons of scouts to the frontier for exploration or large numbers of runabouts for evacuation and humanitarian aid missions.
  
== Class Overview ==
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===Exploration and Science===
Designed for independent operations in dangerous regions of space, the ''Manticore''–class escort is a formidable opponent in combat while still serving Starfleet’s mandates of exploration, diplomacy, and aid. With Starfleet’s presence stretched thinner across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, the ''Manticore'' has demonstrated itself capable of representing remote Federation interests with limited support, or supplementing security interests at home.
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With her large crew and powerful tactical systems, the ''Alita'' would be considered an exploratory cruiser rather than a heavy cruiser if it were not for her more limited range. This class is capable of embarking on missions of exploration—and excels in multiplying her own scientific potential with her fleet of small craft—but simply isn't equipped for sustained missions without support. As with all heavy cruisers, she carries a well-equipped science department, but has limited space for mission-specific labs and so must remain a generalist. One area in which the Alita does shine is in launching probes, as her many torpedo launchers can easily launch swarms of probes as well. These vessels are very good counterparts for large explorers in squadrons, however, as they can pool their resources and provide tactical support.
  
=== Exploration and Science ===
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==Diplomacy==
The ''Manticore'' under-performs in scientific missions compared to most Starfleet vessels in her size category. While its laboratory spaces and scientific sensor sophistication are limited, it is still capable of undertaking missions of exploration and analysis such as might be competently handled by an ''Intrepid''. The scientific suitability of any ''Manticore'' is often dependent upon the mission pod, which may sacrifice laboratory space for further weapons capacity.
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Diplomatic facilities on the ''Alita'' are improved from those aboard the ''Akira'', but the ''Alita'' is not a first-choice diplomatic platform. For this role, Starfleet is more apt to send an ''Excelsior II'' instead, given that the ''Alita''<nowiki/>'s heavy armaments might send the wrong message. Sometimes, however, her heavy armaments are the ''correct'' message, and the Alita does make a good show of force in contested areas.
  
It is, of course, inefficient to dedicate a ''Manticore'' to solely such a mission. It is usually sent on such assignments only if there is some anticipation of danger, such as hostile local powers. In those cases, the ''Manticore'' is able to conduct exploratory operations while able to defend itself where other explorers of its calibre could not.
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==Engineering==
 +
The ''Alita'' retains the same overall form as the ''Akira,'' with a large primary hull connecting via catamaran structures to two nacelles. The profile of the class has been stretched lengthwise compared to the original, and the small craft areas have been moved lower into the hull to provide more space in the upper levels for crew quarters and other systems. To further free up space in the primary hull, the warp core was relocated by expanding the original tactical pod into a full-fledged secondary hull. In an emergency, the warp core ejects from the bottom of the pod, while the antimatter pods eject upward through four hatches. Efficiency of the warp propulsion system is enhanced by two small warp field governors in the pod, and a two more in the primary hull. Impulse flight systems are dramatically improved from the Akira, with four large engines providing impressive sublight speeds.
  
Although the initial designs for the ''Manticore'' did not consider its role as a long-range explorer, Federation needs have changed. While it will never be sent on deep-space assignments such as those reserved for the ''Century'' or the ''Elysion'', it is capable of operating without resupply for years. With Starfleet forces more thinly-spread, this makes the ''Manticore'' suitable for missions ranging beyond Federation borders for some months – so long as there is a need for its tactical capabilities.
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''Alita''-class ships retain large engineering departments, due to the need to service small craft and because of the complexity of the ship's systems. They are also well-suited to the humanitarian tasks that the ''Alita'' is often sent to handle.
  
=== Diplomacy ===
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==Tactical==
As one of Starfleet’s premier tactical vessels, the ''Manticore'' is reserved for diplomatic missions which include warring governments, insurgency movements, disruptive third parties, or natural disasters. If the overtures of peace must come with a message that Starfleet will defend itself or those deemed under its protection, a ''Manticore'' is a suitable choice of vessel. Otherwise, it is easy to see this show of strength as a threat, and wrongly-applied, the ''Manticore'' is a sign of the Federation’s increasing xenophobia and self-interest.
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Like her predecessor, the ''Alita'' is very well-armed. Six forward and six aft torpedo launchers provide her with the capability to deploy a tremendous amount of ordnance in a short amount of time. The hull is also studded with eleven type-XII phaser arrays for wide overall coverage. Forward firepower is enhanced by four standard type-XII phaser cannons and two heavy type-XIV phaser cannons, which biases this ship's weaponry towards the forward arc. Coupled with the one or two wings of starfighters she carries, this makes the Alita one of the most heavily-armed heavy cruisers in Starfleet history. Indeed, she matches many of the abilities of smaller tactical vessels designated heavy escorts, but with greater exploratory and humanitarian capabilities. ''Alita''-class ships are well-shielded, and vital areas of the ship are covered in ablative armor.
  
With multiple VIP suites and two diplomatic conference rooms, the ''Manticore'' is able to host delegates in safety. Comfort is provided by the proximity of these quarters to the holodecks, lounge, and other recreational facilities also enjoyed by the crew. This allows delegates to room and meet aboard in the safety and comfort of neutral Starfleet territory.
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Compared to exploratory cruisers or explorers, Alita-class starships have smaller power generators and thus have less endurance during combat. Alone, they need to disable their target quickly or risk exhausting themselves; twelve torpedo launchers make the ship's ordnance deplete quickly. In fleet situations where they are not the main target of a threat, their fire support abilities shine and their fighters are excellent at defending other ships.
  
=== Engineering ===
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==Small Craft Capabilities==
As a tactical cruiser, the ''Manticore'' is designed to be tough and fast, with a significant weapons loadout. While this already placed significant parameters on the design team, Starfleet’s wish the ''Manticore'' not exclusively serve tactical operations put further demands upon its space and resource allocation for scientific needs.
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The hangers aboard an ''Alita''-class starship span the majority of eight decks in the lower portion of the vessel. Shuttle Bay 1 is a massive bay equal in size to the primary bays found aboard ''Galaxy'' and ''Nebula''-class ships, which allows for the ''Alita'' to handle the largest runabouts and other craft in service. Storage and service bays are found in the decks beneath the hanger, and these connect all the way forward to two smaller bays, one on either side of the main deflector. This massive small craft facility allows for simultaneous launch and recovery activities, as well as for craft launched out of any of the bays to be serviced and refueled for storage in one centralized facility. In combat situations, fighters are launched from the forward two bays and recovered in the aft bay. In pure combat applications, the ''Alita'' can embark a group of two fighter wings, for a total of 24 starfighters. For humanitarian missions, it can easily carry 12 large runabouts. For general operations, a balance of craft is carried: 12 fighters, 6 runabouts, and two-dozen shuttles.
  
In anticipation of taking weapons fire, its saucer and secondary hull design are more integrated than most modern Starfleet ships. This allows for thicker hull plating around the main body of the vessel, and the deflector dish is more naturally shielded by the saucer than is the case with the ''Manticore’s'' contemporaries. An additional benefit of this has been a more narrow profile, which has aided in target evasion.
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These vessels have extensive repair shops and fabrication facilities for small craft, including a vehicle replicator. This allows them to service their own small craft in field conditions without additional support or to build new shuttles for specialized missions. Unlike most starships, they are also capable of manufacturing the large modules used by ''Danube'' and ''New Atlantic''-class runabouts.
  
It is one of the fastest Federation ships, and presently boasts the highest emergency speed in Starfleet. This, as well as its need for exceptional shielding, makes the ''Manticore'' also one of the most power-intensive. Advances in warp drive technology provide the energy needed, with multiple redundancies built-in on power allocation and distribution in consideration of the high likelihood of damage. This includes the four-nacelle build, which allows the ''Manticore'' a more stable warp field as well as redundancies if a nacelle is damaged in battle; for this reason modern, variable geometry nacelles were chosen. Independent fusion reactors power each impulse engine, a redundancy and power boost lifted from its successes in the ''Sovereign-''class.
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Eight hatches amidships behind the bridge cover vertical launch shafts and connect to the hanger. They can either be used for the quick launch of fighters, shuttles, or work pods and for deploying drones, experimental munitions, or probes. This system was developed from the one found aboard the ''Odyssey'', which is more limited.
  
With this robust power array, complex warp drive, and a need to maintain redundancies in case of combat, the engineering department is a large proportion of the crew. This includes a notable array of specialists to ensure each system is operating at peak efficiency, and able to keep operating after the ship has taken damage.
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==Shipboard Life==
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Alita-class ships are modern and spacious, built at a crossroads in starship design philosophies between the era of having lots of windows and spacious individual quarters and more modern ideas that favor communal spaces at the expense of smaller crew quarters. This ship has several large lounges in the primary hull, and senior officers have large quarters with windows, but junior officers and enlisted personnel tend to have interior quarters—though they are often individual quarters at least. Advanced holodecks and large medical facilities provide excellent crew support.  
  
=== Tactical ===
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As one of the only carrier classes in the fleet, ''Alita''-class ships are popular with flight control officers for their opportunity to live out their fantasies of becoming fighter aces--or at least the ability to fly runabouts on humanitarian missions. Because these ships change their small craft complements for specific missions, it gives pilots the opportunity to learn to fly many different small craft well. Due to their armaments, captains of these vessels tend to have significant tactical experience.
Tactical assignments are where the ''Manticore'' shines. While it is out-performed by the manoeuvrable ''Prometheus'' and its Multi Vector Assault Mode, it otherwise takes a ''Sovereign'' or an ''Akira'' with the right mission profile before the ''Manticore'' is surpassed in combat. It can stand its ground one-on-one against most starships barring the largest battleships, and enjoys enough speed and manoeuvrability to be a flexible part of any task force deployment. There, it is often the first point of engagement with enemy forces, tying them up to be harried by smaller, faster tactical vessels.
 
  
Phaser strip coverage is closer to 300 degrees than 360, with lesser protection on the rear; while the ''Manticore’s'' manoeuvrability compensates to some degree, this dictates a heavy, front-focused assault style. The most common tactical pod enhances a ''Manticore’s'' torpedo capacity, which may allow the ''Manticore'' to act as more of a long-range gunboat. Without it, the ship is far more suitable engaging in a closer-ranged slugging match with an opponent.
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==''Alita'' Class History==
 +
Upgrades to the ''Akira''-class heavy cruiser were contemplated many times as early as the 2380s, and that class received several minor enhancements in the decades subsequent to their introduction. By the 2390s, it was clear that the class could do with a full refresh. One major complaint about the original design was that the hanger facilities were cramped by their position at the heart of the secondary hull, so Starfleet wanted the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to prioritize solving this problem. The design that was approved in 2393 was clearly the ''Akira'' at its heart, but sufficiently a new design for Starfleet to consider it to be a fully separate class. Dubbed the ''Alita'' class, the first few units of this new class were converted from ''Akiras'' already in production, and the ''Alita'' herself launched in 2395.
  
The ''Manticore''’s original design includes space for a Combat Information Centre, which has been most favoured by ships on long-term independent assignments, focusing upon the strategic analysis of a region. After the mission pod, this is one of the features that differs the most across ''Manticores''; some captains replace the CIC with another science laboratory, while those within Federation borders or on diplomatic missions may replace the CIC with further recreational facilities. This is not an insignificant refit, and tends to reflect the long-term profile of a ''Manticore'' and its captain rather than the needs of individual missions.
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The advantages over the ''Akira'' were immediately clear, but this design program had an unintended side effect: given her capabilities as a carrier, the ''Alita'' not only succeeded the ''Akira'' in production but led Starfleet to decommission the few remaining ''Typhon''-class carriers. While some ''Akira''-class vessels have been converted to ''Alita''-class vessels, this has only occurred when a substantially damaged ''Akira'' returned to the yards. Thus, the two classes are expected to remain in service side-by-side for the foreseeable future.
  
The ''Manticore'' has a larger-than-average sickbay for a ship of her class, along with additional storage bays for medical supplies and deployable field hospitals stored in the cargo bays. These robust medical facilities of the ''Manticore'' make it a suitable starship to respond to natural disasters. While it lacks the resources to attend to epidemics or other such medical crises, it is reasonably well-equipped for disaster relief, and can of course provide the security, in personnel as much as tactically, that is often needed on such missions.
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==''Alita'' Class In-Play ==
  
=== Shipboard Life ===
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*The ''Alita'' is a more modern ''Akira'', with commensurate improvements in performance with 30 years of lessons learned. The two ships remain in service together, though, and the Akira has a smaller crew, while the ''Alita'' is much better as a carrier. The ''Alita'' also displaced the ''Typhon''-class carrier, and it's a sought-after ship for captains who like having access to a lot of small craft.
Life for the crew of a ''Manticore-''class is expected to be comfortable due to her size and the allocated resources. Senior staff enjoy solo quarters, while junior officers and NCOs either share rooms with one other or have their own room in shared quarters. All quarters are spacious enough to encourage personal touches and decoration. Facilities likewise allow a decent standard of living, with several holodecks, a full range of permanent recreational facilities, two crew messes, and an officers’ mess. The most notable luxury is the main lounge, whose proximity to the diplomatic facilities makes it the ideal place for hosting guests as much as recreational gatherings. All of this is deemed necessary for a starship expected to be capable of conducting missions away from Federation territory for long months, while lacking the feel of the ‘floating city’ of the ''Galaxy'', ''Sovereign'' or ''Century''.
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*Compared among the heavy cruisers, the ''Excelsior II'' is more well-rounded and is better at diplomacy, while the ''Alita'' is better tactically, but both of these classes are meant to handle all sorts of missions within and near Federation space.
 
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*These ships are still much rarer than the ''Akira'' class, as they've only been in production for a few years.
Small enough in size that a ''Manticore'' officer will know many of the crew by sight, large and comfortable enough that the ship may be considered a home, the class has been noted for its crews developing a familial-like bond. This is only redoubled in the ''Manticores'' mission profile as an escort, a high-stress environment. Under combat conditions, including simple threat of combat, crews are more likely to bond closely and quickly. This was one of the design purposes of the expansive recreational facility; Starfleet research supports such facilities assisting in the psychological welfare of crews under such stress, and these tend to play a major role in developing crew bonds. A further contribution has been the ''Manticores'' unsuitability for families; while some civilian staff may be counted among the personnel and fraternisation is permitted, only under specific circumstances are spouses on the civilian roster and children are not berthed.
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[[Category:Playable Federation Starships]]
 
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[[Category:Federation Starship Classes (2385–2397)]]
Senior staff of a ''Manticore'' are usually veterans of other tactical vessels, and a ''Manticore'' is likely to be a captain’s second command after proven service as a combat leader. While a ''Manticore'' is not as prestigious an assignment as the ships of the line, it is respected enough in its specialised purpose that a captain may never sit another command chair and still be deemed to have a successful career. The only staff who may view a ''Manticore'' as a stepping stone to something greater are likely to be the ambitious, or the science department.
 
 
 
== Class History ==
 
The ''Manticore'' is of the first generation of tactical starships after the Dominion War, which required the significant tactical refitting of many vessels. Those already designed or suitable for warfare were the small ''Defiant'' with its limited range, the grand and personnel-heavy ''Sovereign'', the auxiliary craft-reliant ''Akira'', or the more compact but complex and resource-intensive ''Prometheus''. The absence of a combat starship capable of independent tactical operations with a reasonable demand on expense and personnel was noted at Starfleet R&D, and options were explored throughout the mid-2370s without much progress.
 
 
 
With the war’s end, the design mandates that would lead to the ''Manticore'' remained on the backburner as Starfleet endeavoured to return to its focus on exploration in the late 2370s. This influence meant the small team continuing work at Antares were mindful their superiors wanted a design more flexible than the ''Prometheus'', and so the ''Manticore'' was eventually pitched as a starship as capable of long-term, independent assignments as the ''Intrepid'', representing the full gamut of Starfleet interests in troubled regions where conflict was expected or likely.
 
 
 
Avoiding expensive tactical complexities like the ''Prometheus''’ Multi-Vector Assault Mode, the Antares team had to look elsewhere for design cues. Instead they examined early proposals for the ''Sovereign'', and examined what could be scaled down, lost, and repurposed for their needs. This became considerably easier with improvements in miniaturisation and compact starship design over the 2370s with the perfection of the ''Defiant'' and the designs that followed on from it. The ''Manticore'' could not compare with the ''Sovereign'' in armaments or complexities of systems, and was sacrificing the tactical exceptionality of the ''Prometheus'' for more flexibility, but as a more modern starship enjoyed new advances in system design, weapon efficiency, shielding and hull plating.
 
 
 
With ambitions for a relatively compact frame – compared to Starfleet’s huge ships of the line – paired with a hefty weapons complement, high speed, and a respectable sensor array, power demands and allocation rapidly became a concern. The demanded warp factor for a ship that could operate, if needed, as a rapid response vessel turned the team back to the ''Prometheus'' for inspiration, and the ''Manticore'' was redeveloped with a four-nacelle design. This included redundancies in the warp systems as well as that of the nacelles themselves, considered essential for a starship that might still need high mobility under or after taking heavy fire.
 
 
 
The template for scientific capabilities was taken from smaller vessels such as the ''Intrepid'' or the ''Elysion'', though the ''Manticore'' does not attempt to mimic the latter’s degrees of automation. Medical facilities were given more thorough consideration and resource allocation, with an emphasis on triage and emergency medicine in-line with expected mission profiles. Likewise space was established for diplomatic quarters and facilities.
 
 
 
Initial simulations in the early 2380s still saw the ''Manticore'' under-perform in changing, unpredictable or flexible missions requiring anything but combat. While it massively out-performed its contemporaries tactically, Starfleet rejected the design as unsuitable to use outside of internal patrols and defence, as a starship on a long-range mission appropriate to the ''Manticore’s'' size and expense needed a higher rating in science.
 
 
 
Shortly after this setback came the oncoming Romulus crisis and the attack on Mars, both of which placed new demands on Antares Shipyards. These might have finished off the ''Manticore'' as the Federation reeled and re-allocated its resources, but the project was saved by a proposal from lead designer Commander Kren Tavik. The power output of the ''Manticore'' could support more facilities, and so a mission pod was suggested. At a default it would offer an upgrade to the ship’s scientific resources for long-range missions, but if the ''Manticore'' was needed for tactical duties closer to home, it could enjoy an upgrade in sensor arrays or torpedo capacity and launchers.
 
 
 
This new viability of the ''Manticore'' matched the changing needs of Starfleet post-Mars. What had always been a secondary project of lesser importance suddenly became a valued design as the fleet underwent massive changes in build and distribution. More apprehensive of threats from outside, but keen to protect core member worlds, Starfleet jumped at a new starship which could protect its borders with limited support while meeting scientific and diplomatic needs. After a slow development cycle of over ten years, construction on the USS ''Manticore'' herself was fast-tracked in earnest in 2389. She was launched in 2391, further builds ordered not long after.
 
 
 
== In Play ==
 
 
 
* A Manticore is not deployed to a mission lightly. Either a situation explicitly requires its tactical capabilities, or it is encountering a situation while on long-range operations in an area to which it, likewise, has been assigned because of those capabilities. It would be hugely inefficient to use a Manticore on a scientific mission without threat where a cheaper and more mission-suitable starship could be posted instead.
 
* The Manticores capacity to operate away from a starbase for long periods, paired with Starfleet’s withdrawal of many of its forces to core worlds, has made it not uncommon for a Manticore to be given oversight of a whole region of more distant, troubled Federation space, expected to protect it and represent Starfleet interests.
 
* While a Manticore under-performs in science for its size category, it is still capable of conducting these limited exploratory operations which might be expected of a smaller vessel such as an Intrepid.
 
* In combat, a Manticore should be able to at least hold its own against most threats. Great battleships of the galaxy will outclass it, but beyond these it is one of the more prestigious tactical vessels in Starfleet. In turn, its arrival signifies that Starfleet expects trouble, which can have implications in relief or diplomatic missions.
 
* Manticore crews are usually seasoned officers with some combat experience, especially in the tactical and engineering departments. A Manticore is seen as a coveted posting for officers of such a career trajectory, without being the apex achievement of a Sovereign or Odyssey.
 
* NPC Manticores should only make an appearance when their muscle is needed. They are a signifier that Starfleet recognises a situation is both dangerous and worthy of allocating such a resource.
 
 
 
[[Category:Federation starship classes]]
 
[[Category:Heavy Escorts]]
 

Revision as of 15:41, 24 April 2023

This article is official Bravo Fleet canon.

Federation Faction Starfleet







Alita.png
Alita-class heavy cruiser
Information
Affiliation

United Federation of Planets

Type

Heavy Cruiser

Role
  • Carrier
Lineage
Preceding Class

Akira-class

Service
Operator

Starfleet

Entered Service

2395

Endurance
Expected Design Life

80 Years

Expected Refit Cycle

10 Years

Expected Resupply Cycle

1 Year

Crew Capacity
Standard Complement

650

Emergency Capacity

5,000

Dimensions
Length

464 meters

Width

317 meters

Height

87 meters

Decks

17

Propulsion
Propulsion Systems

Matter/Antimatter powered warp drive

Cruise Speed

Warp 7

Maximum Speed

Warp 9.5

Emergency Speed

Warp 9.98

Armaments
Energy Weapons
  • 11x Type-XII Phaser Arrays
  • 4x Type-XII Pulse Phaser Cannons
  • 2x Type-XIV Pulse Phaser Cannons
Torpedo Launchers
  • 6 Forward
  • 6 Aft
Torpedo Payload
  • 300 Photon Torpedoes
  • 300 Quantum Torpedoes
Shields

Multi-Layered Shielding System

Small Craft
Shuttlebays

3

Shuttles

24

Runabouts

6

Fighters

12

Template:Specification

The Alita-class heavy cruiser is the 25th-century successor to the Akira-class heavy cruiser, combining aspects of a carrier with enhanced tactical systems for a design that forms an important part of Starfleet's defensive mission. The Alita's carrier capabilities are even more impressive than her predecessor, and in peacetime her hangers are ability to deliver squadrons of scouts to the frontier for exploration or large numbers of runabouts for evacuation and humanitarian aid missions.

Exploration and Science

With her large crew and powerful tactical systems, the Alita would be considered an exploratory cruiser rather than a heavy cruiser if it were not for her more limited range. This class is capable of embarking on missions of exploration—and excels in multiplying her own scientific potential with her fleet of small craft—but simply isn't equipped for sustained missions without support. As with all heavy cruisers, she carries a well-equipped science department, but has limited space for mission-specific labs and so must remain a generalist. One area in which the Alita does shine is in launching probes, as her many torpedo launchers can easily launch swarms of probes as well. These vessels are very good counterparts for large explorers in squadrons, however, as they can pool their resources and provide tactical support.

Diplomacy

Diplomatic facilities on the Alita are improved from those aboard the Akira, but the Alita is not a first-choice diplomatic platform. For this role, Starfleet is more apt to send an Excelsior II instead, given that the Alita's heavy armaments might send the wrong message. Sometimes, however, her heavy armaments are the correct message, and the Alita does make a good show of force in contested areas.

Engineering

The Alita retains the same overall form as the Akira, with a large primary hull connecting via catamaran structures to two nacelles. The profile of the class has been stretched lengthwise compared to the original, and the small craft areas have been moved lower into the hull to provide more space in the upper levels for crew quarters and other systems. To further free up space in the primary hull, the warp core was relocated by expanding the original tactical pod into a full-fledged secondary hull. In an emergency, the warp core ejects from the bottom of the pod, while the antimatter pods eject upward through four hatches. Efficiency of the warp propulsion system is enhanced by two small warp field governors in the pod, and a two more in the primary hull. Impulse flight systems are dramatically improved from the Akira, with four large engines providing impressive sublight speeds.

Alita-class ships retain large engineering departments, due to the need to service small craft and because of the complexity of the ship's systems. They are also well-suited to the humanitarian tasks that the Alita is often sent to handle.

Tactical

Like her predecessor, the Alita is very well-armed. Six forward and six aft torpedo launchers provide her with the capability to deploy a tremendous amount of ordnance in a short amount of time. The hull is also studded with eleven type-XII phaser arrays for wide overall coverage. Forward firepower is enhanced by four standard type-XII phaser cannons and two heavy type-XIV phaser cannons, which biases this ship's weaponry towards the forward arc. Coupled with the one or two wings of starfighters she carries, this makes the Alita one of the most heavily-armed heavy cruisers in Starfleet history. Indeed, she matches many of the abilities of smaller tactical vessels designated heavy escorts, but with greater exploratory and humanitarian capabilities. Alita-class ships are well-shielded, and vital areas of the ship are covered in ablative armor.

Compared to exploratory cruisers or explorers, Alita-class starships have smaller power generators and thus have less endurance during combat. Alone, they need to disable their target quickly or risk exhausting themselves; twelve torpedo launchers make the ship's ordnance deplete quickly. In fleet situations where they are not the main target of a threat, their fire support abilities shine and their fighters are excellent at defending other ships.

Small Craft Capabilities

The hangers aboard an Alita-class starship span the majority of eight decks in the lower portion of the vessel. Shuttle Bay 1 is a massive bay equal in size to the primary bays found aboard Galaxy and Nebula-class ships, which allows for the Alita to handle the largest runabouts and other craft in service. Storage and service bays are found in the decks beneath the hanger, and these connect all the way forward to two smaller bays, one on either side of the main deflector. This massive small craft facility allows for simultaneous launch and recovery activities, as well as for craft launched out of any of the bays to be serviced and refueled for storage in one centralized facility. In combat situations, fighters are launched from the forward two bays and recovered in the aft bay. In pure combat applications, the Alita can embark a group of two fighter wings, for a total of 24 starfighters. For humanitarian missions, it can easily carry 12 large runabouts. For general operations, a balance of craft is carried: 12 fighters, 6 runabouts, and two-dozen shuttles.

These vessels have extensive repair shops and fabrication facilities for small craft, including a vehicle replicator. This allows them to service their own small craft in field conditions without additional support or to build new shuttles for specialized missions. Unlike most starships, they are also capable of manufacturing the large modules used by Danube and New Atlantic-class runabouts.

Eight hatches amidships behind the bridge cover vertical launch shafts and connect to the hanger. They can either be used for the quick launch of fighters, shuttles, or work pods and for deploying drones, experimental munitions, or probes. This system was developed from the one found aboard the Odyssey, which is more limited.

Shipboard Life

Alita-class ships are modern and spacious, built at a crossroads in starship design philosophies between the era of having lots of windows and spacious individual quarters and more modern ideas that favor communal spaces at the expense of smaller crew quarters. This ship has several large lounges in the primary hull, and senior officers have large quarters with windows, but junior officers and enlisted personnel tend to have interior quarters—though they are often individual quarters at least. Advanced holodecks and large medical facilities provide excellent crew support.

As one of the only carrier classes in the fleet, Alita-class ships are popular with flight control officers for their opportunity to live out their fantasies of becoming fighter aces--or at least the ability to fly runabouts on humanitarian missions. Because these ships change their small craft complements for specific missions, it gives pilots the opportunity to learn to fly many different small craft well. Due to their armaments, captains of these vessels tend to have significant tactical experience.

Alita Class History

Upgrades to the Akira-class heavy cruiser were contemplated many times as early as the 2380s, and that class received several minor enhancements in the decades subsequent to their introduction. By the 2390s, it was clear that the class could do with a full refresh. One major complaint about the original design was that the hanger facilities were cramped by their position at the heart of the secondary hull, so Starfleet wanted the Advanced Starship Design Bureau to prioritize solving this problem. The design that was approved in 2393 was clearly the Akira at its heart, but sufficiently a new design for Starfleet to consider it to be a fully separate class. Dubbed the Alita class, the first few units of this new class were converted from Akiras already in production, and the Alita herself launched in 2395.

The advantages over the Akira were immediately clear, but this design program had an unintended side effect: given her capabilities as a carrier, the Alita not only succeeded the Akira in production but led Starfleet to decommission the few remaining Typhon-class carriers. While some Akira-class vessels have been converted to Alita-class vessels, this has only occurred when a substantially damaged Akira returned to the yards. Thus, the two classes are expected to remain in service side-by-side for the foreseeable future.

Alita Class In-Play

  • The Alita is a more modern Akira, with commensurate improvements in performance with 30 years of lessons learned. The two ships remain in service together, though, and the Akira has a smaller crew, while the Alita is much better as a carrier. The Alita also displaced the Typhon-class carrier, and it's a sought-after ship for captains who like having access to a lot of small craft.
  • Compared among the heavy cruisers, the Excelsior II is more well-rounded and is better at diplomacy, while the Alita is better tactically, but both of these classes are meant to handle all sorts of missions within and near Federation space.
  • These ships are still much rarer than the Akira class, as they've only been in production for a few years.